The present invention relates generally to hand-held apparatus suitable for use in facilitating removal of snow from snow-laden roofs; and, more particularly, to an apparatus suitable for use in removing snow from pitched roofs. While apparatus made in accordance with the present invention can be utilized for snow removal purposes with a variety of building types--e.g., shingles, tiles, slate, galvanized and other types of roofing materials--it will become apparent as the ensuing description proceeds that the invention finds particularly advantageous use in the removal of snow from pitched roofs of single story buildings while permitting the operator to remain on the ground.
During recent years, wide areas of the world have been subjected to winters of increasing severity in terms of both temperature conditions and snow accumulations. At the same time, more and more homes have been constructed to accept increasing population and shifting population centers; and, in large part, such homes have been of the single story ranch type or of the split level variety where at least a portion of the building is only one story high.
In those areas where weather conditions are such that relatively significant snow storms occur accompanied by periods of sub-freezing temperatures, residents, users, and/or owners of such buildings have experienced serious damage, not only to the roofs as such, but also to internal walls, ceilings and personal property, all as a result of snow accumulations on the roofs. As a practical matter, damage can result from either excess loading of the roof or as a result of periodic melting and freezing of the snow. In the former case, a single major snow storm or a series of lesser storms result in snow accumulations of increasing depth, particularly in localized areas on a roof as a result of drifting; and, where the load limits for the roof are exceeded, structural damage occurs that generally results in leaks and which can result in failure and collapse of all or a portion of the roof. In those instances where the building is a barn, chicken coop, or similar farm-type building, such structural failures and collapse often result in loss of life of livestock and/or other animals housed therein.
In the latter case, since roofs are not perfect heat insulators, that portion of the snow accumulation immediately adjacent the roof of a heated building tends to melt and the water thus formed flows downwardly to the gutter located at the outer periphery of the roof in the area of the overhanging eaves--viz., generally an area which is not subjected to heat loss from the building. As a consequence, the water collected in the gutter and downspouts tends to freeze and soon forms an ice dam or barrier which prevents flow of water from melting snow through the gutters and downspouts. Consequently, as snow continues to melt and form water, both as a result of heat escaping through the roof, action of the sun, daytime conditions of above freezing temperatures alternating with nighttime conditions of sub-freezing temperatures, and during periods of general thawing, such water tends to accumulate behind the ice barrier on the surface of the roof and to seep upwardly under the shingles, tiles, or other roofing materials. This condition often results in serious internal structural and cosmetic damage to the building and, on many occasions, to personal contents of the building.
Expensive and elaborate heating systems have been developed in an effort to eliminate, or at least minimize, the damage resulting from the build-up of ice barriers in gutters and downspouts. These generally consist of electric coils which are placed in the gutters and downspouts for the purpose of generating heat and thus preventing the formation of an ice barrier. However, such systems have not provided a solution to the problem. First, they tend to utilize relatively large amounts of electrical energy, a commodity of increasing value in a society that has become increasingly aware of the need to conserve energy in every possible way. Moreover, in many cases such devices are ineffective because of temperature conditions, and such ice barriers form despite the presence of the electrical coil--for example, in conditions where the roof is poorly insulated and temperatures range well below freezing and often below zero for prolonged periods of time. And, of course, in severe weather conditions it is not unusual for individual buildings and/or entire areas to experience power outages, at which time such heat generating coils are rendered useless. Finally, such devices are, even when operating at peak efficiency, totally incapable of minimizing the effect of either local or general overloading of a roof or a portion thereof due to areas of accumulated snow which can, and often do, extend several feet in depth, particularly where drifting has occurred.
The only recognized and foolproof solution to the problem has been to remove the snow from the roof, a process that generally has required shovelling. Not only is this a task which requires strenuous effort, often leading to heart attacks or other physical disabilities, but, moreover, it is highly dangerous since the shoveller, to be effective, must ascend to the roof and shovel snow while walking about on a pitched slippery surface. In addition, under the adverse weather conditions, shingles and tiles tend to be quite brittle as a result of both ice accumulation and low temperatures, and consequently they tend to break when subjected to additional loading resulting from the weight of a person walking or sliding on the roof. Such breakage of roofing materials can, and often does, lead to further leakage problems. Moreover, if the accumulating snow is not removed properly, ice barriers tend to form rapidly, and as a result, it has been found necessary to mechanically remove the ice from gutters and overhanging eaves, generally by the use of hammers, chisels, ice picks and other tools which must be manipulated by an individual standing on a ladder. Not only is this a dangerous procedure that can result in serious injury should a ladder slip or should the tool being utilized carom off the ice when a blow is struck, but it can also result in structural damage to both the roof and the gutter.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide simple, economical, and safe tools for facilitating the removal of snow from a building roof, and which can be utilized not only by adult males, but also by women and children.
Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight versatile tool that can be utilized to remove snow accumulations of varying depths from a building roof, both during and immediately following a snow storm before the formation of ice barriers, and thus to eliminate the need for expensive energy-consuming devices in gutters.
In another of its important aspects, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel ground-operated snow removal tool for use on pitched roofs which avoids the necessity to use ladders and/or to stand and walk on such roofs.